Arch-supporting shoe



v l 644 762 Oct. 11 1927. I J. T. VOI- L v4 ARCH SUPPORT ING SHOE Filed Jan, 1e. 1922 2 sheets-sheer 1 'III' 7 A By 4 ai l I A TToRNE o.' tv11,1927 J T VOLL ARCH SUPPORTING SHOE Filed Jan. 16. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheep 2 INVENToR. Ia'V- Patented' ct. 11, 19.27.

Amuri-:1D STATES PATENT oF F1cE.`

JOHN T. VOLL, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YQRK.

ARCH-SUPPORTING sHoE.

Application led January 1G, 1922. Serial No. 529,492.

My present invention relates to shoes and, more particularly, to shoes especially equipped to give support to the arch of the foot in cases where the wearers arches are weak, and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, cheap and convenient means for adjusting the arch supporting ortion of the shoe so that the device may e manipulated by unskilled persons effectively and conveniently. The improvements are directed in' part to structural features wherein the arch and shank mechanism is 4built into the shoe structure to the advantage 'arch support adjusted to a different position;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top view ofthe adjustable. arch supporting member and the adjacent element to which it is secured; 2

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing a modified embodiment of the invention; Q v

Figure 6 is a top view of the arch supporting element of the modification;

lFigure 7 is-a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 5, and i Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the axis of one of the adjusting screws.v

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring first more particularly to Figures 1 and 3, I have illustrated my lmprovements applied toa womans lshoe ofthe usual construction embodying Van `outsole l, an insole 2 and an upper 3 all welted ltogether as indicated generally at 4. In the practice of my inventlon, I prefer to split the rearward or heel portion of the insole to the point just forward of the arch, as shown in Figure 1, dividing such portion into an A upper ply 5 and 4a lower ply 6. On the under side of the lower ply I arrange a steel stiffemng shank 7 of any suitable or preferred construction to perform the general functions of the shank. It is secured to the insole at its forward end by a split rivet 8 extendi ing all the way through and having its head on the upper side of the under ply while the rear end ofy the shank i ply as shown at 9. Below t e shank 7, and between it and the arch of the outsole 1 is a filler shank 10 that may be of paper, fiber or leather of suitable thicknessto give the desired curvature. This ller shank may be cemented to the outsole, and is provided with a central cavity 11.

tacked to said rIhe arch supporting member 12 is preferv ably a thin steel plate of substantially the form shown in Figure 4, the inner edge 'thereof being serrated at 13 to allow it-to bend uniformly and prevent a harsh contact with the instep. The front end is partially bifurcated by a notch 14 slidably straddling the rivet 8 and fitting under the head thereof, while the rear end is slotted at 15 to slidably receive ,a split rivet 16 by means of which it is secured to the under ply 6 of the insole and beneath the head of which rivet the rear end of the support is adapted to slide. Centrally the supporting plate 12 is pierced by an opening 17 to receive the head of an adjusting screw 18 that may be turned from the inside of the shoe, and to render it readily accessible the upper ply 5 of the i1i' sole is provided with a liap 19 that may be raised to reveal the screw head.

This screw 18 is threaded into a nut or bushing 20 secured in the central portion of the stilfening shank 7 and which occupies the cavity 11 in the filler shank 10 without interfering with the outsole 1, being entirely above the same, although the outsole in the region of the arch of the shoe is preferably given the 'conformation shown in Figure 3 to accommodate the structure above described. The screw 18 has a shoulder 2l just below its head which bears against the under side of the supporting plate l2.

The operation of the device i's as When the parts are in the' normal 'position of Figure l, the arch support has only a gentle vcurve such as is common to the orclinary shoe. If the wearer'nds that she requires more support for the arch of her foot the screw 18 is turned from inside' the' shoe to the left which unscrews it from the fixed follows f bushing 2O and forces the center of the arch supporting plate 12`upwardly the required distance to increase the curvature of the plate and make the desired contact with the arch of the foot. This, of course, is against the natural spring-tension offthe plate 12 which is prevented from rising at its end by the heads of the rivets Sand 16 yet the plate `may slide on these rivets as is necessary7 to permit the upward bowing of the' central portion. To lower the arch the screw is turned in the reverse direction and the plate 12 ifollows it downwardly because of its own tension. A11 arch support constructed in accordance with this inventiondoes not mar the exterior appearance of the shoe, and yet is quite laccessible for adjustment, and on the inside the upper ply 5 of thev split insole covers any possible irregularities and gives tlle same appearance as that of an ordinary s oe. e

Inithe modification shown in Figures 5 to 8 the general structure is the same except that three of the screws 18 are usedas shown at 18a, 18h, and 18, so that the bow of the arch supporting plate 12a'may\be regulated at several points throughout its length with greater nicety thereby not. only the height of the arch ma be regulated but its curvatureA as well. `hree bushings 20, 20h, and 20 are of course used, and in this embodi- 4ment I have shown the arch plate 12a seemed-between two shoulders 21a and 22a on the screw 18a, the latter being formed by the head of the screw. For this purpose the plate 12a is provided with-key hole slots 23 to permit the plate to be applied to the screw1 heads. As the heads oi the screws thus rise above the top face of the plate 12a, I provide a leather spacing strip24 on the upper side of the plate against the upper ply of the insole that is perforated to receive the screw head and fills in the space. Also a liner is shown at 24a above the lnsole.

` I claim as my invention:

1. In. an archisupport for shoes, the combination with a two part insole, of a stiftening shank on the under side of the lower art, an adjustable arch supporting memer between for the arch support arranged to react the parts, and adjusting means arch supporting member together, of a stiffening shank between the Y soles provided with filler shank between the stitening shank and outsole and provided with a cavity for the bushing, an adjustable bowed arch support associated with the insole, threaded in the bushing to act against the arch support and accessible for operation from the inside of the shoe.

4. r[he combination with a shoe embodying an outsole, an insole. and anupper welted together, the insole being split at its heel portion to form upper and lower plies, ot a stiffening shank between the insole and outa threaded bushing, al

and a screwy sole, an adjustable bowed arch support ar- Vranged between the plies of the insole, and

u'icans accessible for operation through one of the soles for regulating the arch support.

JoHN r. voLL. 

